BWW Recap: THE LAST MAN ON EARTH Is Our Gift This 'Secret Santa'

THE LAST MAN ON EARTH celebrates Christmas in typical LAST MAN fashion: grandiose and exuberant. Carol, of course, is super into Christmas. She decorates the Malibu Mansion with huge candy canes, themed rooms, and a large Christmas tree. It is truly a wish-fulfillment Christmas decoration. For once, her enthusiasm and optimism spreads through to the other survivors. It may just be the holiday season, but everyone is caring, giving, and full of love.

The crux of the episode is that Carol makes everyone do a Secret Santa, where they each draw another's name and have to get them one gift. Tandy, after having saved Phil 2's life and never being thanked for it, decides to swap names with him. Tandy pulled Erica's name, and in a true Christmas spirit, gives it to Phil 2 so he can mend the bridge between them.

This gesture is a great one that fits Tandy. As the closest to Carol, it's clear that he would be the one next-most-enthused about Christmas (he even decorates himself as a Christmas tree and starts singing his own rendition of O Tandybaum!). However, Tandy takes it a step too far. Instead of trusting that Phil 2 can get the right gift for Erica himself, Tandy puts himself in the driver's seat and gets a Hope Diamond necklace for her, and gives it to Phil 2. In the swap, Tandy is given his own name, which Phil drew. Tandy really takes a face-level selfless route this episode.

In a similar way to how Phil 2 is trying to win back Erica with Christmas spirit, Melissa sees that she truly loves Todd. Melissa has always been a character that isn't as enthusiastic or optimistic-she's a perfect foil for Carol's bubbly attitude. Carol decorated Melissa's room in the theme of Frosty's Lair. You can see in Melissa's face that she's annoyed by the decoration, but the overwhelming positive attitude gets to her. She reveals to Carol that she and Todd broke up. It's a nice moment of emotional vulnerability from a character that hardly shows that side to her.

While Melissa is opening up about her break-up with Todd, a sign that she's still dwelling on their relationship, Todd has moved on. Last episode, his and Gail's relationship took a step forward, and seeing how happy the two are kissing, it's the beginning of a new romance in the mansion. Gail and Todd are both characters alone from previous relationships; it's no wonder they would be drawn together during the happy time of Christmas.

Tandy does more than just swap names with Phil 2. He convinces the group to let him move back into the Malibu house. They agree, and Phil 2 is restored to a regular member of the Malibu survivors. Tandy, of course, is begging for that "Thank You." Phil 2 calls a group meeting, and starts to thank God for everything given to him. Tandy sees this as a slight, but he brushes it off.

The Secret Santa gift exchange is one of the most emotional moments ever on THE LAST MAN ON EARTH. Erica gives Carol an audience seat from Oprah's set, along with a dress. The interaction between Erica and Carol was so sweet and good-hearted. Even though Erica has had a rough couple weeks, and even though Carol brought the dissolution of her relationship with Phil 2, she was able to look past all of that in giving gifts for Christmas.

This good karma is held over, as Phil 2 gives Erica perhaps the best Christmas gift ever. Phil 2, ignoring Tandy's help, gets a sonogram for Erica. He sits Erica on a medical bed, and with Gail the Nurse's help, she is able to see an ultrasound image of their baby. It's a tender, hopeful moment. In this post-apocalyptic world, the entire world's hope lives in that baby. It's an uplifting moment because the realization that society will survive is held in that baby's image. Not only that, but the presence of medical equipment makes the actual birth less daunting and more of a doable task.

Tandy takes problem with this gift-giving. With Phil 2 doing what was best, Tandy feels slighted. Tandy just want to help, and when he can't he's frustrated. His worldview is small when things don't go his way. He can't see that Erica seeing her baby is a huge gift, and because of that he's stuck in his head that it's an insult to him. At least his character was giving in doing that name swap.

Tandy got himself a yacht, which he then blows up. THE LAST MAN ON EARTH definitely got back to its wish-fulfillment roots this episode, which is a wonderful change from the past weeks. Todd got Gail the ZZ Top car, in a touching romantic move that went unseen by everyone else. Carol gave Melissa two pairs of boots: the ones she asked for, and Carol-decorated rainbow and unicorn boots. Gail gave Phil 2 a wicker ball she picked up off the table. Melissa gave Todd a sash, crown, and scepter, naming him Prom King.

Melissa, in the same was as Phil 2, is most affected by Christmas optimism. She gives Todd those touching gifts, citing a story from his own disastrous prom night. Through the whole experience of Secret Santa, she realized she loved him, and she proposes. This proposal is cut off, though, when Phil 2 falls to the ground, in pain.

All good things must come to an end. There's no good ending to Melissa's proposal. Either she or Gail will get hurt. Phil 2's pain is an interesting development for an area with no doctors. Up in space, Mike's last worm Terry died (RIP). Mike, finally alone, projected himself from the space station and into the unknown. Like the rest of the characters right now, he's floating along, waiting to see who will save him.

The Last Quotes on Earth

"Did I stutter, Melissa? Eat your gall-darn papers."

"Santa's here and he has two huge lumps in his christmas sack."

"Do you know why we do secret santa?" "For the presents." "No, for the surprises."

"Todd and I broke up." "did lovemaking become a chore?"

"This isn't just any chair. It's from Oprah's audience." "No way! Shut up and go to hell, Erica!"

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Leave your comments or thoughts on tonight's episode below or tweet me @gunnar_larson! Be sure to head here next week as I recap the fall finale of THE LAST MAN ON EARTH.

Photo Credits: THE LAST MAN ON EARTH Official Twitter

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